Tackling the Global Warming Challenge 2010 Workshop at
Tackling the Global Warming Challenge 2010 Workshop at the 2010 NSTA National Conference, Philadelphia, PA Lisa Gardiner (egardine@ucar. edu) Randy Russell WWW. WINDOWS. UCAR. EDU Office of Education & Outreach University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Boulder, CO
Workshop Overview • Intro: Why is global warming happening? What can we do? • Climate and Global Change educational resources from Windows to the Universe • Activities: – – Energy Choices and Climate Change, a new online module Plugged in to CO 2: How Much Do You Spew? Watch Where You Step Presentation Overview
Earth is warming… Data compiled by Hadley Centre of the UK Meteorological Office
What controls the climate? The Sun & Earth’s orbit Clouds Volcanic eruptions Reflective snow & ice And the amount of greenhouse gases…
Greenhouse gases trap heat, causing warming. Heat absorbed by CO 2 radiated to space (A). Heat can make its way to space directly (B). Heat absorbed by CO 2 radiated towards Earth (C).
Where do the extra greenhouse gases come from? Sources of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in 2004. (IPCC, 2007)
What can we do? • We can try to adapt to changing climate – Adaptation: protecting people/places by making them less vulnerable to climate impacts • We can try to slow or stop warming – Mitigation: slowing global warming by lowering levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere Overall goal –keep Earth a livable place Sustainability: meeting our present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs
http: //www. windows. ucar. edu
http: //www. windows. ucar. edu/climate. html
Three levels of content in two languages
Energy Choices and Climate Change • Energy Choices and Climate Change, an online module, provides a new way to look at how the choices we make about energy affect the amount of greenhouse gases we send into the atmosphere. • Users make decisions about the types and amount of energy used and see what effect those decisions have on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere. • The goal is to reduce CO 2 emissions from fossil fuels while keeping costs within reason. Now Available on Windows to the Universe! www. windows. ucar. edu/modules/energy
Plugged in to CO 2 Students investigate various appliances and electronics, discovering how much energy each uses and how much carbon dioxide (CO 2) is released to produce that energy. Calculate these! Work with your neighbors!
Discussion questions: P. S. 1 kilogram (or ~2 pounds) of CO 2 gas would fill up an average refrigerator. Did the appliances that use the most energy according to the kill-a-watt meter produce the most CO 2 over a year? How can we reduce the amount of CO 2 emitted into the atmosphere while still using these appliances?
CO 2: How Much Do You Spew? Students analyze the energy consumption of a hypothetical household to determine the amount of carbon dioxide they are adding to the atmosphere each year.
CO 2: How Much Do You Spew? Directions: • Each group has a card profiling a hypothetical family or individual. • Families/individuals live in different situations & use energy in different ways. • Students use the worksheet to calculate a household’s CO 2 emissions. Sample card
Answer Key for CO 2: How Much Do You Spew (Above is from last page of activity handout. Units are pounds of CO 2) Sample discussion questions: 1. What activities emitted the most CO 2 for the family you examined? 2. Could those activities be changed to emit less CO 2? How? 3. How would you change your scenario to reduce CO 2?
How do you use natural resources? Watch Where You Step © Facing the Future First, Choose: • A Favorite Meal • A Favorite Object • A Piece of Clothing Then, Diagram: • Resources needed • A Mode of Transportation • Processes needed • Impacts on the environment
water plastic wrap soil slaughterhouse packaging fertilizer Cattle feed Cow gasoline Refrigerated truck tractors Beef Transport home refrigerator cooking gasoline roads pan natural gas sun water soil Transport to the store highways stove sun Grazing land styrofoam pesticides car Fossil fuels for tractors
Guiding questions • • • What’s it made of? What resources are needed to make it? What processes are needed to make it? Is transportation required? Are fossil fuels required? What are the possible impacts?
Facing the Future Resources Teacher lesson plan books Many lessons available for free at www. facingthefuture. org 1 -2 week curriculum units Containing lesson plans and student readings Student textbooks Linked to lessons available on website © Facing the Future
Workshops and Presentations Saturday, March 20 8: 00 – 9: 00 Tackling the Global Warming Challenge - Sheraton, Philadelphia South 9: 30 - 10: 30 Cloudy Day Activities - Sheraton, Independence A 9: 30 - 10: 30 NESTA Earth Science Share-a-thon - Sheraton Liberty A/B 2: 00 - 3: 00 Getting Students Involved with Bud. Burst - Sheraton, Philadelphia South 5: 00 – 6: 00 Climate Change: Classroom Tools - Sheraton, Liberty C UCAR Office of Education and Outreach, Boulder, CO, www. eo. ucar. edu
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Are you looking for an online Professional Development Opportunity? Climate Discovery, a series of online professional development courses for middle and high school educators Summer Semester – June 18 to August 8, 2010 CD 501 – Introduction to Climate Change CD 502 – Earth System Science: A Climate Change Perspective CD 503 – Understanding Climate Change Today For registration information visit http: //ecourses. ncar. ucar. edu
WWW. WINDOWS. UCAR. EDU For more information, visit Windows to the Universe or email Lisa at egardine@ucar. edu Saturday, March 20 8: 00 – 9: 00 Tackling the Global Warming Challenge - Sheraton, Philadelphia South 9: 30 - 10: 30 Cloudy Day Activities - Sheraton, Independence A 9: 30 - 10: 30 NESTA Earth Science Share-a-thon - Sheraton Liberty A/B 2: 00 - 3: 00 Getting Students Involved with Bud. Burst - Sheraton, Philadelphia South 5: 00 – 6: 00 Climate Change: Classroom Tools - Sheraton, Liberty C UCAR Office of Education and Outreach, Boulder, CO, www. eo. ucar. edu
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